Dream Thrum
by dot'ba
Summary: Takes place a few years from Season 4 finale. Part of a Scorpy-centered series.


_Dream Thrum_

__

With the walls of the wormhole and the touch of alternate realities rushing past, he was loath to leave the experience. Truth be told he'd be perfectly content to stay in the wormhole indefinitely. He could easily get lost in himself just exploring the mysteries of this wonder. Closing his eyes he savored the last moments before exiting the wormhole. Paying no heed to all distractions around him, he opened his mind trying to get into the proper mental state needed to navigate the wormhole. After all the recent experiments he'd become so much more in tune with the phenomenon. It was such an amazing feeling of oneness with the elements that it never failed to bring a smile to his face. He got an immense high from it; he felt embraced by the cosmos, full of pure light. When the darkness descended he knew they were home...

Meanwhile, the Moyans were in disagreement again. Chiana was more than pissed and as customary, didn't mind letting the others know she thought they were farbot. They'd been arguing for a few microts now. "You should be sectors away by now. Why stick around, if you think it's a trap?"

Aeryn never did have much patience for anything, but the Nebari had pushed her past her normal irritation point. Glaring and ready to terminate the coms call, she laid it out again. "Chiana, Scorpius worked for the restoration of John and I much more than he had to, and he's requested us to be guests at some kind of event that's being held. I guess you can't realize this, but being dead again really wears you down. I wouldn't mind a little relaxation in a secure area." John Crichton couldn't agree more with her. "Yeah, should we just cut and run with barely any supplies or money? We'll go, keep them on our good side, say thanks, get a bunch of doggie bags and leave before the night is up." Even as he said it he knew it was crap. Nothing they did ever went according to plan. And things were different now, after he and Aeryn were crystallized, he just hadn't had the fight in him for his old nemesis any more. And, though he tried not to think about it too much, he owed Scorpius everything. It had taken a team of medics and scientists constantly working for over two cycles to find the solution to the deadly dissolving weapon; not to mention considerable funding, which is where Scorpius _really_ helped out. Ultimately though it all paid off, and he and Aeryn had been even more inseparable – and to some insufferable – since being restored.

After that success, they had been whisked away without the others. The medics had told them they would be weak for a while after the process and rest was mandatory, so here they were on their way to Nyuvi 7, a small planetoid which, from what they could tell, was a science station for the peacekeepers. The techs had sent word that Scorpius himself wished for the two to join them. That had been part of the deal – no Moyan crew. Scorpius just didn't trust them. He wanted to help, but this time it would be on his terms. This is what led to arousing the suspicions of Chiana, and to be honest, the two of them as well. Nonetheless, they were on their way already, with an escort, so there wasn't much point in protesting now.

They arrived on the peacekeeper station, but this time without the red carpet treatment. There were techs, vessels and cargo taking up nearly every dench of available space. It was hectic and loud, so different from their royal treatment from Scorp before, yet John still got an eerie sense of déjà vu. He was starting to have second thoughts himself now. I don't know why I feel compelled to settle things once and for all with this guy. Maybe I can just leave him a thank you note.

After they landed the pilots instructed them to wait for an officer. John marveled that they were just dumped off and left unattended; surely someone was monitoring them somewhere. Sure enough, just when they were starting to feel a little neglected, a Peacekeeper approached them. "Welcome to Nyuvi 7, you are from the Leviathan Moya?" Crichton sized him up quickly: He didn't seem to carry that hard look most pk's have and he had a warm genuine smile on his face. Now Crichton was worried, one can never tell when they've been placed into a hallucination or alternate dimension in the Uncharted Territories. This was too weird. "I'm afraid you came in the middle of an experiment, and all other high level personnel are engaged, this is about as an official greeting as you're going to get. I'm Lieutenant Rheinallt. I can show you to your quarters and notify you when the leaders get back."

"Leaders?" The lieutenant said the word with a slight emphasis, leading them to think they were missing something important. There was that feeling of unease again. John asked what he meant, earning him a strange look, "Yes, the leaders of the new coalition." he stated as if this were common knowledge. John could see this was going to play out like a bad sitcom if he didn't make the situation clear. He wondered why Scorpius hadn't briefed his staff or why the hybrid wasn't there for that matter. "Look, we've been dead for a couple of cycles, so you're gonna have to bring us up to speed." Rheinallt gave him another curious look, but seemed smart enough not to bother asking what he meant. "If you need to learn the events of the last two cycles, well, that would take some time. I'll try to explain along the way."

Leading them down and through the huge structure, he tried to give a summary of all the recent events, starting with the new factions in the Sebacean government. Apparently, after the 'incident' with Commandant Grayza, some Sebaceans were outraged at the inactivity of the peacekeepers. The ensuing Scarran strikes against small defenseless farming colonies had pushed the people over the edge. These were strikes of desperation and retaliation for the destruction of the Matriarch plant. John should have known that things are never solved so easily. Something he had started all those cycles ago had caused the changes he was seeing now. Amazing. For the first time, his destructive solutions were actually benefiting more than just himself. The people finally gathered together to stop the bumbling of the peacekeepers. Possibly, they realized the pk's didn't do an all together good job of looking out for their common interests.

There was still the old council and peacekeepers, but they've mostly been reduced to handling planet-based affairs. All diplomatic, military and inter-species relations were handled by the new Coalition. This consisted mainly of Sebaceans, Luxans, and other handfuls of species, chosen for their respective abilities.

He paused as they reached the darkened corridor leading to the guest areas. There were two guards stationed at the beginning of the hall, and the Moyans were taken aback as the guards turned their red eyes on the group. Rheinallt greeted the guards with the same warm smile he had turned on them. As if it was perfectly normal to be chatting with Scarrans. "How is everything? You can see we have our honored guests finally." They gave a low growl and the equivalent of a smile to the crew. Looking to John and Aeryn, one of the Scarrans spoke: "It is heartening to see both of you intact again. This is a momentous occasion. Please enjoy yourselves whilst here." The Scarrans nodded and stood aside to let the crew pass.

Once they seemed a safe distance away, Aeryn exclaimed "What the frell!?!"

Their guide was grinning widely. "I was saving the best for last. Though hard to believe at first, not all Scarrans are destructive power-mad brutes. Some like Grigor and Ca'Twg are more peaceable and certainly not genocidal. They are truly the most crucial element of the coalition, yet there are only a handful of them. Their leader – and also one of the coalitions' founding members – is actually a hybrid."

"Oh don't tell me, big bad ScorpySue?" John just had to interrupt. Hearing his enemy had gained so much power was unnerving to say the least. "We have a bit of a history. I'm surprised he didn't mention any of this..." John let the question hang, as the whole thing was too surreal, he just wanted answers.

"Well I am not his lieutenant; he has no reason to confide anything in me. I am under Commander Braca and really only finished training recently. But bad? No, I have never seen Scorpius be cruel to the any of his subordinates, a trait that Braca seems to be trying to instill in the new recruits. In the past any superior would have perfect right to strike or even kill an underling for even the slightest infraction. Hezmana, in the past I would have been executed rather than receive combat training – I was just a merchant on a small remote colony. Instead he and Braca have given new inspiration and enlightenment to all Sebaceans. Scorpius is our chief research scientist and has personally supervised 3 new terra-forming expeditions with neighboring star systems. He rallied his people and brought them to us. I think without he and Braca, there would be no resistance at all.

Despite the weirdness of the situation, Crichton found he was relaxing with this peacekeeper. He had a down to earth quality about him, an honesty that seemed genuine. He looked to Aeryn and saw she had a curious look on her face. She was actually wondering what the Scarrans were referring to earlier. "What did the Scarrans mean by momentous occasion?"

The lieutenant glanced sideways at her; "You are the occasion. You two are the first to be successfully restored after the liquefication."

"Are you saying we were guinea pigs?" John was slightly pissed. He _knew_ Scorp had to have another motive; he didn't just do this out of the kindness of his heart. The son of a bitch must have figured we were expendable. A way to get a little payback, if things didn't work out...

"I don't know what a geeneey peeg is but, you are not the only ones who have been exposed to the weapon. We had our own lab on one of our bases, but it attracted too much attention. There was constant battles and espionage, so that the doctors couldn't work. That is why we moved them to the location you were at."

He paused as they reached the guest quarters, which it seemed, were still under construction in some areas. "Well, I must check in, however, I shall inform you when the others are back. In the meantime please feel free to visit the lounge if you need anything. The guards can direct you." He nodded and turned back down the hall.

The couple spent a while settling in, checking for listening devices and discussing what they'd just learned. But soon John felt his old curiosity surfacing. Though dog tired, he wanted to check stuff out; especially while the boss was out. "I wanna head out and look around, up for a stroll?" He announced.

He could already feel Aeryn's warning glare. "John..."

He interrupted her before she could even get started. "I just want to stretch my legs, check our surroundings and see what information we can get in the process; maybe get a drink?"

Aeryn was too tired to muster up any enthusiasm, but she knew John wanted to do this while Scorp wasn't around.

They headed out and instead of asking the Scarrans for directions, decided to just wander a little. After all they weren't under guard. It had made it clear they were honored guests. Making their way down the hall, they noticed their surroundings. They were deep underground where lighting was sparse. There was a cool draft blowing through the corridor.

"Why is it that we seemed destined to always have to deal with Scorpius?" John mused as they walked. "It's some cruel twist of fate – sometimes I feel like I'll never be free of his shadow." He was getting nervous now that the hour was looming when he'd meet up with his enemy again. He had to sort through everything before then – try to figure out what it was he was feeling. To try and figure out why Scorpius still angered him so. Although now it wasn't so much anger he felt but irritation when thinking of Scorpius.

Aeryn rolled her eyes as she listened to John vent. "John I can understand your feelings, but even with all the harm he's done to us, I still think the good he's done _for_ us more than compensates, now."

"Yeah, well don't think he isn't going to want something in return for saving both of us. That son of a bitch is always trying to gain the edge."

They continued on – John ranting and Aeryn half listening – unaware of the slight hiss that sounded above their heads.

"If that's how you feel, then why are we here? What are you going to say?" Aeryn sometimes was so frustrated by her lover.

"I really don't know. Half of me is just so tired of carrying around all the crap from the past. But the other half still wants to pummel him just for the satisfaction. And if he's developed any wormhole tech, then that's a big threat."

Aeryn scoffed "A threat to whom, John?"

"I dunno...everyone maybe. Don't worry, so far I don't have any plans to blow this place up, that's progress right?

As Aeryn was about to reply, a high pitched growl came from above them. Suddenly, something small and quick fell on John from the ceiling. It latched onto his neck and gave a hard bite, causing him to cry out in pain. Flailing about, he tried to pry it off. Aeryn was also trying to grab it, but it was difficult. When she managed to get her hands on it, it dropped to the floor and ran up the wall, lunging back at Aeryn. This time though, she was ready for it and struck it as it came at her. It rolled back into the shadows.

The Scarrans had heard the cry and by this time were just coming down the corridor. "What is happening?" they exclaimed as they surveyed the scene. Aeryn replied "Some animal attacked us as we walked."

There was a quiet gasp from where the creature had landed. "Animal indeed," came a small voice. They all looked in that direction, but the only thing visible was a pair of small green eyes. It crawled out of the shadows. "By the Goddess," exclaimed Grigor, "What have you done?"

Aeryn was outraged. "Why are you helping that creature, when John is the one injured?" She was holding her hand to his wound. It seemed deep and being in his neck, it really alarmed her.

"The medics were called in immediately," replied one of the Scarrans coolly. She then bent to the animal's side. "Dot'ba, are you all right?" The animal looked up at Taileen. It was bleeding from a cut on its head. John and Aeryn could make it out more clearly now that it was out of the shadows. It had pale somewhat scaly skin. Tinges of red hues lined its deep eye sockets. John could see it was a female; actually it reminded him of a Scarran. Except that it had long flowing red hair. It would be their luck the creature would be one of the Scarrans child. That explained why they were so upset.

And indeed the Scarrans were very upset. "Why did you do this? She's just a child. Not a 'creature.'

Luckily the arrival of the medics saved Aeryn from getting into an argument with the Scarran.

They immediately went to the child first, but Aeryn managed to snag one for John. They sure didn't seem to think Johns wound was an emergency, they almost acted as if they didn't see the two on the ground. She suspected the child was important, probably one of the Scarrans; but they seemed ready to actually throw them in the brig. "We've been trying to tell you, she attacked us. We were just walking; she dropped down from somewhere and attacked Crichton. We'll not just stand here and be eaten or whatever she was trying to do." No one seemed too concerned about what she was saying.

The doctors insisted on taking everyone to the med room for treatment. The Scarrans assigned a security detail to John and Aeryn until the leaders returned. It didn't take long to get Dot'ba healed as she only had minor bruises and scrapes. Afterwards, the medics worked on John's wound which required a little more attention. A short time after they made their way to the med area, Miklo Braca and his lieutenant came running up. "What is going on? What happened? They said there was an accident." He had a slightly wild look in his eyes as he scanned the group. He looked the same except he had grown his hair out and had a more confident spirit. When he saw that it was John and Aeryn he rolled his eyes and gave a deep sigh. "They've only been on the ship an arn and there's already bloodshed. What have you done this time, Human?"

The Scarrans answered for them: "They claim Dot'ba attacked them."

When Braca heard this he went pale. "Attacked? Is she alright?"

"She will be; she is strong. They took her for observation as she was a little banged up." The female Scarran Taileen gave a deadly look to the two, then turned back to Braca, "You were right after all, Captain."

"Unfortunately, yes." Shaking his head in disbelief he said, "By the Goddess, John, now you're just outright attacking children." Sighing he inquired about her status. 'It just never ends,' he thought to himself. Scorpius is going to be furious. He called Rheinallt over and ordered him to notify Scorpius and Sikozu. When he said that, everything seemed to click for both John and Aeryn. The red hair and soft hues of color around the eye sockets – it was Scorpius and Sikozu's child! They realized that was even worse than if it had just been the Scarrans.

Aeryn figured she should try to diffuse the situation now. "Braca, we didn't know what it was. We thought it was some animal attacking us."

"Typical of you to immediately assume something, she is Dot'ba Gawi Amu. That 'animal' is Sikozu and Scorpius' child." Giving them a last look he shook his head and stepped into a side room. Opening coms to the control room, he ordered the base sealed and a sweep for any devices. No ships without proper clearance would be permitted to land, lest John & his companions try sabotage again.

As he was giving the orders, he saw Sikozu rushing towards him. "Braca, what's going on? We just got back and they said Dot'ba was hurt!" She seemed on the verge of hysterics.

"She's alright. She got into a scuffle with our honored guests apparently."

"Our guests...?" She looked into the other room, noticing them for the first time. She stormed in, "You attacked my child?" John winced as she practically stared daggers into him. "I knew it was a mistake to bring you here. They must be attempting sabotage, have we detected any ships nearby?"

"We already went into lockdown, scans are in progress. If this is a trick, we'll be ready this time," he said glaring at the two.

He noted that Sikozu seemed near a breakdown. These last experiments have been tiring and this just set her over the edge. Gently pulling her aside, he suggested she go to the room where they had taken Dot'ba for resting. "I will handle this, and Scorpius will need you."

To this she smiled softly, "He needs you too."

"I will be there shortly." He directed his next statement to the two on the bed. "But I must secure these two first."

As she turned to leave, she gave a last defeated look to John and Aeryn. "Why must you bring violence everywhere you go? Have you not had enough all these cycles?"

Aeryn could tell John was ready to argue, even in his current condition. She stopped him figuring it was best to let Sikozu go. She would get over it once everything got cleared up. What she wanted to know was what Braca meant with his statement. "Braca are you telling me we're under arrest? We've done nothing wrong."

"Do you really think I can trust either one of you? Trust allowed thousands of Sebaceans to perish on the Command Carrier. We cannot afford losses like that. Scorpius may be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I am not as unquestioning. I will have you kept under guard until we can sort this out. Then I suppose it will be up to Scorpius & Sikozu."

"Wow, sounds fair to me." Aeryn said with as much sarcasm as possible. Chiana was actually right; they shouldn't even have bothered coming here.

"You are in no position to request fairness or even mercy. Do you mock the death of your own people?"

Now it was Johns turn to simmer Aeryn down. "Aeryn...it's ok. Look Braca, we're sorry, really. This is all just a misunderstanding. Aeryn is pregnant. I wouldn't do anything to endanger my own kid."

"Crichton, I know you would never sacrifice anything you deemed important. However, Dot'ba and the families on this planet would be rightfully upset if I allowed you to roam free with no investigation." Braca was done with them. He directed Rheinallt to post guards at their door. They were not to leave the room until Braca or Scorpius gave word.

The dren just never stopped with those two, he thought as he walked. He knew that Dot'bas' wounds were not that serious, but maybe now Scorpius would understand that John just wasn't going to be an ally, no matter how much he wanted him to be. At least not until he lost that exaggerated sense of self-importance. Now he would have to go and speak with Scorpius – he just hoped it would go smoothly.

_end of part 1..._


End file.
